Kuryu Rakusen-en Sanatorium

National Sanatorium Kuryū Rakusen-en
Geography
Location	647, Kusatsu Otsu Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan
Organisation
Care system	HealthCare of those who had leprosy
Type	National hospital run by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan)
Services
History
Opened	1932
Links
Website	http://www.hosp.go.jp/~kuryu/index.html
Lists	Hospitals in Japan

Kuryū Rakusen-en Sanatorium, or National Sanatorium Kuryū Rakusen-en, is a sanatorium for leprosy or ex-leprosy patients located in Kusatsu-machi, Azuma-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1932.

History

Pre-Rakusen-en days

In 1869, a big fire occurred in Kusatsu Hot Spring, which led to the circulation of a publicity book called Kusatsu Onsen Shi (Kusatsu Hot Spring is good for health). This attracted leprosy patients to gather around Kusatsu. In 1888, Erwin Bälz, after studying Kusatsu Hot Spring, recommended the use of Japanese hot springs for health purposes. However, plans to build a hospital in Kusatsu faced opposition in 1907. In 1913, missionary Yonehara was sent to Kusatsu by Hannah Riddell. In 1914, a Christian group called Koenkai (Light and salt society) was formed in Kusatsu.

Mary Cornwall-Legh

Mary Cornwall-Legh played a significant role in the history of the sanatorium. In 1915, she inspected Kusatsu, and in 1916, she started the Barnabas' mission. St. Barnabas' Hospital was established in 1917 with Dr. Kesa Hattori and Nurse Chiyo Mikami. Suzuran Hospital was started in 1924 but closed soon after the death of Hattori. In 1929, St. Barnabas Hospital was renewed under the direction of Dr. Ichiro Tsuruta. By 1930, the population of Yunosawa Community, where the hospital was located, reached 817, accounting for one-third of Kusatsu's population.

Kusatsu Rakusen-en Sanatorium

In 1932, Kusatsu Rakusen-en Sanatorium was established under the directorship of Yoshiichi Furumi. In 1938, a special prison called "Juukanbou" (Kusatsu Special Prison) was built within the sanatorium. In 1941, St. Barnabas Hospital was closed, and 44 patients were transferred to Kusatsu Rakusen-en. In 1947, the cruel conditions of the special prison came to light, leading to the suspension of the director. In April 1996, the 1953 Leprosy Prevention Law was abolished. In July 1998, the trial for compensation began. On May 11, 2001, the trial ruled that the previous Leprosy Prevention Law was unconstitutional. On May 25, 2001, the trial for compensation was confirmed, and patients received compensation ranging from 8 to 14 million yen, depending on the duration of the unconstitutional periods.

Number of in-patients

The number of in-patients at the sanatorium varied over time due to factors such as new admissions, deaths, escapes, and discharges. The long period of segregation policy and leprosy stigma influenced the number of patients reintegrating into society. In 1945, there were 1314 in-patients, which decreased to 25 in 2003.